21 Guns
by Lina Ben
Summary: As Bumblebee and Optimus travel to Vos city to inform the king and prince on the three mechs death's, Bumblebee learns to accept Prowl's death. One, 21 guns Lay down your arms Give up the fight


21 Guns by Lina Ben

This is my fourth Transformers Animated story and it's also a possible introduction to the new Transformers Animated series, if there is going to be one.

I don't own Transformers Animated or "21 Guns" by Green Day.

Pairings: Major OptimusxBumblebee fluff and some implied StarscreamxMegatron, just for the fun of it.

Rated: T because of minor Cybertronian swearing and mentions of interfacing.

Characters: Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Slipstream and a brief mention of Thundercracker.

This takes place two months after the events of Endgame and it is an entirely new chapter, but with my original ideas from my previous Transformers Animated stories.

* * *

Grieving and morning for the loss of three amazing mechs was still on everybot's processors two months on after the events of the final battle with Megatron. The only city that had yet to be informed about Starscream, Blurr and Prowl's tragic deaths was the infamous and ancient city of Vos. The mech who was going to inform Vos City of the threes death was one lone yellow speedster. Bumblebee was sitting on his berth, busily packing various items into his sub-space compartments. He gave a loud sigh as he packed the last of the items. Why did he, of all mechs, have to be the one who had to inform the king and prince of these deaths? It just was a bit unfair, really. I mean, sure, he was the son of Goldbug, the femme commander of the Royal Guard of Vos and he was technically a flyer now. Recently Bumblebee had gotten a new that made him look taller, more mature and a flyer. He was now a 2011 Camaro model and he now had door wings and his stabilizing servos were now fashioned into thrusters, which looked a lot like Starscream's feet but he still has his wheels on heels. Getting to his feet, Bumblebee sped out of the room on his wheels and stopped in front of Optimus, who had also been asked to go on this mission.

_Do you know what's worth fighting for,  
When it's not worth dying for?  
Does it take your breath away  
And you feel yourself suffocating?_

As Bumblebee and Optimus began to travel to their destination, Bumblebee had noticed that the leader had and entirely new paintjob. Optimus's paintjob now consisted of cool red and blue flames which covered his entire frame except for his chest plates and helm, which where still the same colour.

"Hey, Boss-bot?" Bumblebee said, catching the attention of his leader.

"Yes, Bumblebee? What's wrong?" Optimus asked, and if he was in robot mode her would have turned to face his smaller friend.

"Your paintjob is awesome." Bumblebee stated boldly and quickly revved his engine in embarrassment. _Why did I say that?_ the yellow bug wondered as he drove.

"Um, thanks. I like your new ." His leader complimented as the pair drove closer together. There was a comfortable silence that followed as they thought over their strange conversation. It was then that Bumblebee's sensors flared to life and told him that there was a hotel up ahead. Quickly, informing Optimus of this they raced ahead and parked in front of the hotel.

_Does the pain weigh out the pride?  
And you look for a place to hide?  
Did someone break your heart inside?  
You're in ruins._

As Optimus and Bumblebee walked in together the receptionist femme seeker gazed at the pair in recognition. _This is neutral territory, Slipstream._ The femme reminded herself as she put on the same huge and horridly fake smile as she greeted them.

"Hello, my name is Slipstream and welcome to the 21 Guns Hotel." She recited in an "I-don't-give-a-freaking-slag" tone but smirked to the two Autobots.

"It's you!" Bumblebee gasped, recognising the purple and blue Decepticon femme.

"I have a name, you know, Autobot." She snapped at him glaring at the yellow bug, as if daring him to start a fight. "

I'm guessing you are both wondering why I am here? Well, I decided to get a job so I can get some credits to assist my so called brothers." She smirked to the pair when she finished.

"Anyway, I guessing you want a room?" She asked to two bots as the femme walked back to the front desk and typed in numbers and Cybertronian signs on the computer.

"So, yellow bug, how is that black and gold ninja-bot?" Slipstream asked Bumblebee as she typed in more numbers.

"Dead and gone..." Bumblebee growled as he glared at the floor. Over the last two months he still hadn't gotten over his friend's heroic death, and neither had the rest of his team mates.

_One, 21 guns  
Lay down your arms  
Give up the fight_"Well, we only have one room left with one recharge berth. It seems that only two other have used that room and actually interfaced. Those mechs being Megatron and Starscream." She smirked cruelly and Bumblebee's left optic twitched as he pictured the two most evil Decepticons "doing the deed" as the humans put it.

Optimus meanwhile had an urge to purge his tanks of the energon he had the morning. Gladly, snatching the key card out of the Decepticon femme's servo Bumblebee sped down the corridor to his and Optimus's room, Optimus speeding after him. The femme smirked to herself as the two sped off, and walked out of the building to contact her brother Thundercracker about the two Autobots.

_One, 21 guns  
Throw up your arms into the sky,  
You and I  
_

In Bumblebee and Optimus's room the pair sat on opposite sides of the berth unpacking their stuff for the night in silence. After they unpacked all of their things, Bumblebee took out the remote to the TV in their room and tried to see if he could get any Vos channels. Optimus had walked into the adjoining bathroom and washed his face plates, grumbling something about a stupid Decepticon femme. Walking back into the room he saw Bumblebee sitting comfortably on the bed watching the TV with a bored look. It was a soap opera about a street in Tyger Pax city called Optronix Street and it was quite popular. Hastily switching off the TV, he sat down on the bed and sighed.

"So I guess we are going to have to share the bed." Optimus guessed and Bumblebee looked at him and nodded, gazing anywhere but him.

_When you're at the end of the road  
And you lost all sense of control  
And your thoughts have taken their toll  
When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul _

Optimus lied down gently on the berth and twitched his wings as Bumblebee flopped onto the berth next to him. They both stared up at the ceiling for a while before turning to face each other. Bumblebee's big light blue optics held many emotions that Optimus knew all to well. Grief, sorrow, anger and complete and utter pain. Bumblebee shifted his form closer to Optimus and began to sob into his chest plates. Optimus knew why his small comrade was crying. The way that Decepticon femme had spoken about Prowl was really cruel and it must had brought up some bad memories of Prowl. Those memories would constantly bother the little gold bug in his recharge as the humans would call 'nightmares'. As Bumblebee sobbed, Optimus gently ran his digits over Bumblebee's door wings and back plating. Bumblebee curled his arms around Optimus's form in a soft embrace.

_Your faith walks on broken glass  
And the hangover doesn't pass  
Nothing's ever built to last  
You're in ruins.  
_

The pair held each other in that embrace and closed their optics, Bumblebee stopping his sobs. As Bumblebee gazed up to his leader, Optimus gazed back at him with such love and care for his younger friend. Through his tear stained face, Bumblebee smiled up to his leader. Slowly, Optimus began to rock Bumblebee and sing a beautiful but sad funeral song in Cybertronian. As the little yellow mech slipped into the depths of recharge, Bumblebee whispered something incoherent and slipped into recharge. He knew that neither he nor Optimus would have any nightmares tonight. Little did the Autobots they were being watched by a security camera and two Decepticon Seekers.

"Darn, no interfacing." The femme pouted as the mech next to her grumbled "Who gives a slag!"

_One, 21 guns  
Lay down your arms  
Give up the fight  
One, 21 guns  
Throw up your arms into the sky,  
You and I  
_

The next morning both Bumblebee and Optimus got up early and left the hotel before mid morning to continue their journey. As they arrived in Vos there were checked by the tourism board and were escorted by the Royal Guard to the palace. They met up with Goldbug and Bumblebee formally introduced them.

"Oh Primus, you are simply gorgeous!" Goldbug gushed to Optimus as he sweat dropped and blushed furiously.

"Great catch, Bumblebee!" Goldbug yelled as she hugged her son. Needless to say the situation got even more embarrassing when the king and prince of Vos city themselves walked up to Bumblebee and Optimus and introduced themselves. As Bumblebee and Optimus told the king and prince about the three deaths. They were shocked at first, but calmed down once there were told the whole story. The king's name was Starfire the first and the prince's name was Rainmaker the first. Before the trip to Vos city, Bumblebee had found out that Starscream's real name was Starfire the second and that he is the son to King Starfire and the brother to Prince Rainmaker.

_Did you try to live on your own  
When you burned down the house and home?  
Did you stand too close to the fire?  
Like a liar looking for forgiveness from a stone_

When it's time to live and let die  
And you can't get another try  
Something inside this heart has died  
You're in ruins.

After King Starfire and Prince Rainmaker informed their city of the three deaths Bumblebee and Optimus where quickly transported home by Skyfire, a seeker with the ability to Transwarp. After Skyfire transwarped home Optimus and Bumblebee walked to the Cybertronian cemetery to see Prowl's grave. Bumblebee sat down in front of the grave and whispered an ancient Cybertronian prayer and then breathed

"Rest in Peace, Prowl. It's time to give up the fight. You are dead and I will now accept that." The gold bug said with an air of finality, knowing it would be his last goodbye to the ninja-bot. Optimus sat next to him and gazed at the engraving on the grave. It said "_Tell my tale to those who ask. Tell it truly, __the ill deeds__ along with the good, and let me be judged accordingly. He lived a warrior but died a hero. The rest...is silence..."_

_One, 21 guns  
Lay down your arms  
Give up the fight  
One, 21 guns  
Throw up your arms into the sky (x2)_

You and I.

Bumblebee sighed as he gently began to sing that same sad funeral song Optimus had sung to him last night and whispered the lyrics like an ancient prayer. When Bumblebee and Optimus arrived at their headquarters later that day, they found Rachet on the couch reading a datapad. Next to him Jetfire and Jetstorm were playing a video game while Jazz was listening to some music in a nearby chair. The shouts and yells trailing down the corridor were from Bluestreak, Wheelie, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe training the two new twins from Bulkhead's old Energon Farm. Their names were Skids and Mudflap and there were green and red bots respectively. They were the newest recruits and there were also the youngest of their team. _Maybe I should train the new twins…_Bumblebee thought as he sped past the training room and back to his room. _Life is what you make of it, and Prowl did a great job of that..._Bumblebee thought as he flopped down onto the berth and slipped into recharge.

* * *

Thank you for reading. I put in a few references to real life things too. The quote said by Bumblebee is actually a song title "Dead and Gone" by T.I and Justin Timberlake. Mudflap and Skids are from the recent Transformers movie. "Optronix Street" is a reference to the soapie "Neighbours".

So, I own none of the above. Please read and review.

From, Lina Ben


End file.
